Zebulon Pike
Zebulon Pike are a post-metal/instrumental rock group from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Forming in 2002, this band earned quick local acclaim with their 2004 debut And Blood Was Passion, an aggressive mix of doom, prog and experimental rock without vocals. The band was named "best new band" in 2004 via First Avenue. Since their formation this quartet has composed five studio albums (All of which on their own imprint Unfortunate Records) and performed around the United States, mainly in their home state alongside a host of bands within the scene. History And Blood Was Passion (2002 - 2007) Zebulon Pike formed sometime in 2002 in Minneapolis. Originally the band formed as a quartet of Fratzke, Bolen, Post and an unknown singer. By 2003, Morgan Berkus had joined the group to which the singer left. Rather than trying to search for a vocalist the band opted to perform fully instrumental music. The band's earliest known live performance was on 31 January at Turf Club (With 12 Rods).Zebulon Pike via Wayback Machine The band would record five songs live on an old four-track recorder and by the spring of 2003 the band's first demo Keep It Real was released.Zebulon Pike via Wayback Machine Throughout 2003 the band would play local gigs throughout Minnesota while working towards the recording of their first album, which they began recording that winter. The band gained enough praise in their local scene to be listed to First Avenue and Radio K's Best New Bands of 2003 list. A showcase of all of those acts was on 14 January 2004 at First Avenue. Following an appearance at Emissions from the Monolith at Nyabinghi that May, the band released their debut album And Blood Was Passion on 12 June 2004, with a CD release at 7th Street Entry.Zebulon Pike via Wayback Machine The album would gain praise from a host of underground critics while establishing them as a top local act in the Minnesota area.Metal Reviews circa 2006Hellride MusicYour Last Rites The band would close out the year with a live performance on 25 September at Triple Rock with this young, aspiring instrumental act at the time known as Pelican. 2005 would see them sharing the stage with the likes of Eternal Elysium, Jucifer and Debris Inc. among others while working on a follow-up record. With five songs spanning 73 minutes, Zebulon Pike's sophomore album II: The Deafening Twilight saw it's release on 10 June 2006 (The release show the same day at 7th Street Entry)Zebulon Pike via Wayback Machine The band performed just a couple more shows that year, namely sharing the stage with Blue Cheer. 2007 would notably see the band's first tour of the United States, leading up to an appearance at Doom or Be Doomed. Surrounding those shows and after it would lead to them performing with the likes of The Hidden Hand, Kylesa, Mastodon, High on Fire, Don Caballero, Helmet and Melvins (The last two being part of Grumpy's Bash that year).Zebulon Pike via Wayback Machine Through the fall and winter of 2007 the band would begin work on a third record. In late 2007, Steve Post would leave the group with Tom Berg (Self-Evident) as his replacement.Zebulon Pike via Wayback Machine Intransience and Space is the Corpse of Time (2008 - 2013) Zebulon Pike would release their third album Intransience on 13 September 2008 to positive reviews. The release party would be the same day at Triple Rock Social Club with Dosh and Story of the Sea.Zebulon Pike News via Wayback Machine The band also performed sporadically in 2008 prepping for a tour, sharing the stage with the likes of The Sword, Boris, Heroine Sheiks and Seawhores.2008 Shows of Zebulon Pike via Wayback Machine 2009 would make an appearance at Templars of Doom, perform with the likes of Wolves in the Throne Room and A Storm of Light and eventually embark on a nine-date North American tour that November.Songkick The band would slow down on shows (Barring an appearance sharing the stage with Pentagram on 30 March) to concentrate on writing their fourth studio album. By the spring of 2011 the band would finish recording this fourth album. Space Is The Corpse of Time would be released on 25 June 2011. A double release party would be conceived for the album: An afternoon performance on The Current 89.3 and then an evening show at Triple Rock (With Battlefields and The Book Of Right On)Zebulon Pike Website via Archive Wayback Machine. Surrounding this set is a performance at Days of The Doomed along with performances with Rwake and Devin Townsend. Nostalgia For The Unreal (2012 - Present) Following sporadic shows supporting various acts such as Black Cobra along with some scene locals such as Self-Evident, the band would begin work on a fifth album. With a string of mini-tours in September and October led up to the release of the band's fifth album Nostalgia For The Unreal on 1 November 2014, a release party at Triple Rock Social Club (Along with Vulgaari, Electric Hawk). As of 2018 the band remains active in the Minnesota scene. Discography * Keep It Real (Demo) (2003, Self-Released) * And Blood Was Passion (Album) (2004, Unfortunate) * II: The Deafening Twilight (Album) (2006, Unfortunate) * Intransience (Album) (2008, Unfortunate) * Space Is the Corpse of Time (Album) (2011, Unfortunate) * Nostalgia for the Unreal (Album) (2014, Unfortunate) Members * Morgan Berkus - Guitars (2002 - Present) * Erik Fratzke - Guitars (2002 - Present) * Erik Bolen - Drums (2002 - Present) * Tom Berg - Bass (2008 - Present) * Steve Post - Bass (2002 - 2007) Tours * And Blood Was Passion North American Tour (2007) * Intransience North American Tour (2009) * Nostalgia For The Unreal Tour (2014)2014 Shows Archive * September 2015 Mini-Tour (With Traindodge) (2015)2015 Shows archive External Links *Live 2014 *Live 2017 *Live 2012 *First Avenue Writeup on Zebulon Pike *ProgArchives page on Zebulon Pike *2011 article via NPR *Archived Homepage *Archived Shows *Archived Shows 2003 - 2004 *Archived shows 2004 *Archived Shows 2005 *Archived shows late 2006/early 2007 *Archived shows 2007 *Archived shows 2008 *Archived shows 2009 *2011 Shows Archive References Category:Band Category:Instrumental Category:Minneapolis Category:Minnesota Category:USA Category:Doom Metal Category:Progressive Rock Category:Progressive Doom Category:Progressive Metal